Bar offers free beer as UCF Knights continue losing streak

ORLANDO, Fla. (WOFL FOX 35) - The University of Central Florida football team’s losing streak has created a glass-half-full situation at a downtown bar. A few weeks ago — when the team had an 0-4 record — management at The Basement Orlando promised free beer during football games until the Knights won. The team is now 0-11.

While he’d rather see his alma mater win, marketing director Jake Whitacre told FOX 35 that a losing team has been good business for the bar and fans. “We wanted to fill the bar out and we wanted to give the UCF fans a reason to be watching the team,” Whitacre said.

Whitacre said the bar has been packed since The Basement pledged free beer and they are making money. “We’re giving away the free beer but we’re also getting a lot of people coming in early, staying late and we’ve got a lot of people ordering our food and our mixed drinks, so we’re getting by,” he said.

Whitacre said the bar goes through seven to ten kegs of Coors Light per match, which costs the bar roughly $1,000. The promotion has been such a success that if the team doesn’t win their last game of the season on Thursday, The Basement will continue to give away free beer next season.